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Joseph and His Brothers
Brief Description
The definitive translation of Mann's magnum opus Thomas Mann described Joseph and His Brothers as his 'pyramid'—his greatest literary achievement, although the Nazi regime in his homeland did their best to tear it down on its first publication. A vivid and dazzlingly ambitious epic, it retells...
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Description
The definitive translation of Mann's magnum opus
Thomas Mann described Joseph and His Brothers as his 'pyramid'—his greatest literary achievement, although the Nazi regime in his homeland did their best to tear it down on its first publication. A vivid and dazzlingly ambitious epic, it retells the biblical story of Joseph, whose dreams and visions set him apart from his siblings and lead him first to slavery and ultimately to power and prestige in Egypt.
With rich detail and unexpected humour, Mann paints the lost landscapes of Egypt, Canaan, and Palestine and brings to life the great characters of Genesis—patriarchs, pharaohs, avenged sisters, and jealous brothers—in a story of epic grandeur with a family drama at its heart.
John E. Woods' translation is considered the definitive English version—a rich and immersive reading experience and a towering achievement of its own.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780241785430
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 09 April 2026
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: Penguin Classics
Contributors:
- Translated by John E. Woods
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 35.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 500g
Pages: 1536
About the Author
Thomas Mann (Author) Thomas Mann (1875-1955) is regarded by many as the greatest German novelist of the 20th century. Mann's first major novel, Buddenbrooks, sold over a million copies in Germany alone, before Hitler banned and burned it. Mann fled Germany and spent the latter part of his life living in Switzerland and America. He wrote many essays as well as novels, and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1929.
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